Fabric control device

ABSTRACT

A fabric-based item may include a housing that is covered in fabric. Areas of the fabric may overlap input circuitry such as button switches, touch sensors, force sensors, proximity sensors, and other sensing circuitry and may overlap other components such as light-emitting components and haptic output devices. The fabric-based item may include control circuitry that gathers user input from the input circuitry and wireless communications circuitry that the control circuitry uses to transmit remote control commands and other wireless signals in response information from the input circuitry. The fabric-based item may have a weight that is located in the housing to orient the housing in a desired direction when the housing rests on a surface. A movable weight may tilt the housing in response to proximity sensor signals or other input. Portions of the fabric may overlap light-emitting components and optical fiber configured to emit light.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/207,407, filed Dec. 3, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/940,842, filed Mar. 29, 2018, which claims thebenefit of provisional patent application No. 62/519,386, filed Jun. 14,2017, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in theirentireties.

FIELD

This relates generally to fabric-based items and, more particularly, tofabric-based items such as electronic devices with fabric surfaces.

BACKGROUND

It may be desirable to form bags, furniture, clothing, electronicdevices, and other items using materials such as fabric. If care is nottaken, however, fabric-based items such as these may not offer desiredfeatures. For example, a fabric-based electronic device may be awkwardto use, may not have an attractive appearance, or may not offer desiredfunctionality.

SUMMARY

A fabric-based item may include a housing that is covered in fabric. Thefabric may include conductive strands that form touch sensor circuitry.The fabric may include portions that are patterned differently and thathave different properties. For example, the fabric may include areasthat transmit more light than other areas or are more opaque than otherareas or may include areas that are smoother than other areas or thatare coarser than other areas. Button labels and other features may beformed by weaving or otherwise intertwining strands of material in thefabric with desired patterns, by processing fabric through applicationof heat and using other processing techniques, and by applying ink orother materials.

Areas of the fabric such as areas with enhanced light transmission,button labels, distinct textures, or other attributes may overlap inputcircuitry such as button switches, touch sensor circuits, force sensors,proximity sensors, and other sensing circuitry. The fabric-based itemmay include control circuitry that gathers user input from the inputcircuitry and wireless communications circuitry that the controlcircuitry uses to transmit remote control commands and other wirelesssignals in response information from the input circuitry. Remote controlcommands may be used to remotely control electronic equipment.

In some configurations, the fabric-based item may have a weight that islocated in the housing to orient the housing in a desired direction whenthe housing rests on a surface. A movable weight may tilt the housing inresponse to proximity sensor signals or other input. Portions of thefabric may overlap light-emitting components and optical fiberconfigured to emit light.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an illustrative fabric-based item inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view of illustrative woven fabric in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 3 is a top view of illustrative knit fabric in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an illustrative touch sensor formed using fabricin accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric layeroverlapping electrical components in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric layerthat is overlapping a light-based component in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric layerwith an optical fiber that is used in emitting light from a portion ofthe fabric layer in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fabric-based item such as a remotecontrol device or other electronic device covered with fabric inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice with a fabric covering having hidden seams in accordance with anembodiment.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are top views of illustrative fabric-based items such asa fabric-covered remote controls or other electronic devices with fabriccoverings in accordance with embodiments.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an illustrative fabric-based item suchas a remote control or other electronic device with fabric covering inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are side views of illustrative fabric-based items suchas remote controls or other electronic devices showing how the items mayhave self-righting features in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric-baseditem with a movable weight system that can be used to dynamically tiltthe item in a desired direction in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an illustrative self-rightingfabric-based item with a cylindrical housing surface in accordance withan embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a side view of an illustrative fabric-based item withdeformable housing walls in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric-baseditem having a fabric-covered housing structure with ribs or otherprotrusions that form a textured surface in accordance with anembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Items such as item 10 of FIG. 1 may be based on fabric. Item 10 may bean electronic device or an accessory for an electronic device such as alaptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, atablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheldor portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wrist-watchdevice, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a deviceembedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user's head, orother wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer displaythat does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a remotecontrol, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system inwhich fabric-based item 10 is mounted in a kiosk, in an automobile,airplane, or other vehicle, other electronic equipment, or may beequipment that implements the functionality of two or more of thesedevices. If desired, item 10 may be a removable external case forelectronic equipment, may be a strap, may be a wrist band or head band,may be a removable cover for a device, may be a case or bag that hasstraps or that has other structures to receive and carry electronicequipment and other items, may be a necklace or arm band, may be awallet, sleeve, pocket, or other structure into which electronicequipment or other items may be inserted, may be part of a chair, sofa,or other seating (e.g., cushions or other seating structures), may bepart of an item of clothing or other wearable item (e.g., a hat, belt,wrist band, headband, sock, glove, shirt, pants, etc.), or may be anyother suitable fabric-based item.

Item 10 may include intertwined strands of material that form fabric 12.Fabric 12 may form all or part of a housing wall or other layer in anelectronic device, may form an outer covering for a housing wallstructure, may form internal structures in an electronic device, or mayform other fabric-based structures. Item 10 may be soft (e.g., item 10may have a fabric surface that yields to a light touch), may have arigid feel (e.g., the surface of item 10 may be formed from a stifffabric), may be coarse, may be smooth, may have ribs or other patternedtextures, and/or may be formed as part of a device that has portionsformed from non-fabric structures of plastic, metal, glass, crystallinematerials, ceramics, or other materials.

The strands of material in fabric 12 may be single-filament strands(sometimes referred to as fibers or monofilaments), may be yarns orother strands that have been formed by intertwining multiple filaments(multiple monofilaments) of material together, or may be other types ofstrands (e.g., tubing). Monofilaments for fabric 12 may include polymermonofilaments and/or other insulating monofilaments and/or may includebare wires and/or insulated wires. Monofilaments formed from polymercores with metal coatings and monofilaments formed from three or morelayers (cores, intermediate layers, and one or more outer layers each ofwhich may be insulating and/or conductive) may also be used.

Yarns in fabric 12 may be formed from polymer, metal, glass, graphite,ceramic, natural materials as cotton or bamboo, or other organic and/orinorganic materials and combinations of these materials. Conductivecoatings such as metal coatings may be formed on non-conductivematerial. For example, plastic yarns and monofilaments in fabric 12 maybe coated with metal to make them conductive. Reflective coatings suchas metal coatings may be applied to make yarns and monofilamentsreflective. Yarns may be formed from a bundle of bare metal wires ormetal wire intertwined with insulating monofilaments (as examples).

Strands of material may be intertwined to form fabric 12 usingintertwining equipment such as weaving equipment, knitting equipment, orbraiding equipment. Intertwined strands may, for example, form wovenfabric, knit fabric, braided fabric, etc. Conductive strands andinsulating strands may be woven, knit, braided, or otherwise intertwinedto form contact pads that can be electrically coupled to conductivestructures in item 10 such as the contact pads of an electricalcomponent. The contacts of an electrical component may also be directlycoupled to an exposed metal segment along the length of a conductiveyarn or monofilament.

Conductive and insulating strands may also be woven, knit, or otherwiseintertwined to form conductive paths. The conductive paths may be usedin forming signal paths (e.g., signal buses, power lines, etc.), may beused in forming part of a capacitive touch sensor electrode, a resistivetouch sensor electrode, or other input-output device, or may be used informing other patterned conductive structures. Conductive structures infabric 12 may be used in carrying power signals, digital signals, analogsignals, sensor signals, control signals, data, input signals, outputsignals, or other suitable electrical signals.

Item 10 may include additional mechanical structures 14 such as polymerbinder to hold strands in fabric 12 together, support structures such asframe members, housing structures (e.g., an electronic device housing),and other mechanical structures.

Item 10 may include circuitry 16. Circuitry 16 may include electricalcomponents that are coupled to fabric 12, electrical components that arehoused within an enclosure formed by fabric 12 and/or an enclosureformed using other housing structures such as housing walls formed fromplastic, metal, glass, ceramic, or other materials, electricalcomponents that are attached to fabric 12 using welds, solder joints,adhesive bonds (e.g., conductive adhesive bonds such as anisotropicconductive adhesive bonds or other conductive adhesive bonds), crimpedconnections, or other electrical and/or mechanical bonds. Circuitry 16may include metal structures for carrying current, electrical componentssuch as integrated circuits, light-emitting diodes, sensors, controllercircuitry for applying currents and/or magnetic fields to materials, andother electrical devices. Control circuitry in circuitry 16 (e.g.,control circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits such asmicroprocessors, microcontrollers, application-specific integratedcircuits, digital signal processors, etc.) may be used to gatherinformation from user input circuitry, sensing circuitry such as touchsensors, force sensors, proximity sensors, and other sensing circuitry,and other input-output circuits. The control circuitry may be used tocontrol the operation of item 10 based on this gathered informationand/or based on other information by controlling electricallycontrollable (electrically adjustable) components in circuitry 16. Thecontrol circuitry may have wireless communications circuitry and othercommunications circuitry and may be used in supporting communicationswith item 18 and/or other devices.

Item 10 may interact with electronic equipment or other additional items18. Items 18 may be attached to item 10 or item 10 and item 18 may beseparate items that are configured to operate with each other (e.g.,when one item is a case and the other is a device that fits within thecase, when one item such as item 10 is a remote control and another itemsuch as item 18 is an electronic device that is controlled by the remotecontrol such as a set-top box, television, computer, gaming unit,speaker, or other electronic equipment that is controlled remotely,etc.). Circuitry 16 may include wireless communications circuitry suchas antennas, wireless radio-frequency transceivers (e.g., transceiversoperating at 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and/or other wireless communicationsfrequencies) and other electrical components for supporting wirelesscommunications with item 18. The wireless communications circuitry mayinclude communications circuitry based on infrared transmitters such asinfrared light-emitting diodes or lasers for transmitting infraredcommands to electronic equipment such as item 18. Item 18 may alsointeract with item 10 using a wired communications link or otherconnection that allows information to be exchanged.

In some situations, item 18 may be an electronic device such as acellular telephone, computer, or other portable electronic device anditem 10 may form a cover, case, bag, or other structure that receivesthe electronic device in a pocket, an interior cavity, or other portionof item 10.

In other situations, item 18 may be a wrist-watch device or otherelectronic device and item 10 may be a strap or other fabric-based itemthat is attached to item 18 (e.g., item 10 and item 18 may be usedtogether to form a fabric-based item such as a wristwatch with a strap).Item 10 may also be a cellular telephone, tablet computer, wearabledevice, voice-controlled speaker, or other equipment.

In still other situations, item 10 may be an electronic device such as afabric-covered remote control device (e.g., a fabric-covered remotecontrol that has a majority of its surface or other suitable fraction ofits surface covered with fabric 12). The remote control device may beused in controlling external electronic equipment (e.g., item 18).

Fabric 12 may be used in forming a remote control device or otherelectronic device. The fabric may serve as a covering layer for thehousing of a remote control or other device and may cover one or moreuser input areas associated with virtual buttons, switches,touch-sensitive buttons labeled with symbols, track pad areas formedfrom two-dimensional touch sensors, or other user input components(e.g., sensors for detecting user touch input, proximity input, and/orforce input). In these situations, control circuitry in item 10 may usewireless communications circuitry in item 10 to communicate wirelesslywith item 18 (e.g., to wirelessly transmit control commands to item 18such as channel change commands, media playback adjustment commands suchas fast forward and reverse playback commands, track navigationcommands, power on/off commands, volume change commands, media searchcommands, etc.). Item 18 in this scenario may be electronic equipmentthat is wirelessly controlled by item 10 such as a set-top box, speaker,television, computer, gaming unit, etc.

The fabric that makes up item 10 may be formed from strands that areintertwined using any suitable intertwining equipment. With one suitablearrangement, which may sometimes be described herein as an example,fabric 12 may be woven fabric formed using a weaving machine. In thistype of illustrative configuration, fabric may have a plain weave, abasket weave, a satin weave, a twill weave, or variations of theseweaves, may be a three-dimensional woven fabric, or may be othersuitable fabric. With other suitable arrangements, fabric 12 is knit orbraided. If desired, signal paths formed from conductive yarns andmonofilaments (e.g., insulated and bare wires) may be used to routesignals in item 10 and/or item(s) 18.

A cross-sectional side view of illustrative woven fabric 12 is shown inFIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, fabric 12 may include strands 20 such aswarp strands 20A and weft strands 20B. In the illustrative configurationof FIG. 2, fabric 12 has a single layer of woven strands 20. Multi-layerfabric constructions may be used for fabric 12 if desired.

As shown in FIG. 3, fabric 12 may be a knit fabric. In the illustrativeconfiguration of FIG. 3, fabric 12 has a single layer of knit strands 20that form horizontally extending rows of interlocking loops (courses 22)and vertically extending wales 24. Other types of knit fabric may beused in item 10, if desired.

Fabric-based item 10 may include non-fabric materials (e.g., structuressuch as structures 14 that are formed from plastic, metal, glass,ceramic, crystalline materials such as sapphire, etc.). These materialsmay be formed using molding operations, extrusion, machining, laserprocessing, and other fabrication techniques and may be used in forminghousing structures, internal mounting structures, buttons, portions ofdisplay components and other electronic components, and/or otherstructures in item 10. In some configurations, some or all offabric-based item 10 may include one or more layers of material. Thelayers in item 10 may include layers of polymer, metal, glass, fabric,adhesive, crystalline materials, ceramic, substrates on which componentshave been mounted, patterned layers of material, layers of materialcontaining patterned metal traces, thin-film devices such astransistors, and/or other layers.

As shown in FIG. 4, item 10 may include a sensor such as a touch sensor.The touch sensor may have electrodes formed from metal electrodes (e.g.,patterned metal traces on a printed circuit or other substrate),transparent conductive electrodes (e.g., indium tin oxide electrodes),and/or other touch sensor electrodes. In the illustrative configurationof FIG. 4, item 10 includes a touch sensor formed from electrodes infabric 12 such as conductive strands 20 in fabric 12. These conductivestrands may be coupled to input circuitry such as touch sensor circuitry22 (e.g., touch sensor circuitry in circuitry 16 of FIG. 1) or othersensing circuitry. For example, fabric 12 may include conductive weftstrands 20A and overlapping orthogonally oriented warp strands 20B.These conductive strands form column and row electrodes in anintersecting grid (electrode array). During operation, a user's fingeror other external object (e.g. a stylus, etc.) may be present at theintersection between a horizontal and vertical electrode and can perturbcapacitive coupling between these electrodes. Touch sensor controlcircuitry such as touch sensor circuitry 22 may supply strands 20B (orstrands 20A) with drive signals and may gather and analyze correspondingsense signals from warp strands 20A (or strands 20B). By processing thetouch sensor signals from touch sensor circuitry 22 and/or other controlcircuitry in item 10, item 10 can detect capacitance variations due tothe presence of a user's finger or other external object at anintersection between a weft and warp strand, thereby allowing item 10 todetermine the location of a touch input.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the surface of anillustrative fabric-based item. In the illustrative configuration ofFIG. 5, item 10 includes structures 24 such as sensing circuitry andhousing structures. Structures 24 may include fabric 12 (e.g., a fabriccovering layer that forms the exterior surface of item 10). Fabric 12may include strands such as warp strands 20B and weft strands 20A. Ifdesired, fabric 12 may include a grid of conductive strands for forminga touch sensor such as the two-dimensional touch sensor of FIG. 4 orother suitable touch sensor. Fabric 12 may overlap components 26 andinternal structures 28. Internal structures 28 may be housing structuressuch as housing walls or supporting housing structures formed from rigidpolymer, foam or other soft polymer (e.g., an elastomeric material),metal, ceramic, glass, etc. Components 26 may be electrodes for a touchsensor or a capacitive proximity sensor, may include light-basedcomponents such as light-emitting diodes and/or light sensors (e.g.,optical proximity sensors), may include haptic output devices, mayinclude force sensors, and/or may include other electrical components orcircuitry 16.

Light-based devices in components 26 may include light-emitting diodes,lasers, and other light-emitting components that produce light. Theemitted light may serve as illumination for a camera or other sensor,may serve as decorative trim, may serve as a visual status indicator(e.g., a power on/off indicator light), may illuminate a key label(button label) or other symbol, may be used in displaying images (e.g.,in configuration in which components 26 form an array of pixels in adisplay), may be used as part of an optical proximity sensor (e.g., in asensor that detects reflected light such as infrared light to determinewhether external objects such as user body part or other object 30 iswithin the vicinity of item 10 (e.g., whether an external object iswithin a predetermined distance of item 10), or may be used in otherlight-based circuitry for item 10.

If desired, optical touch sensors may operate through fabric 12. In thistype of configuration, components 26 may include an array oflight-emitting devices such as an array of light-emitting diodes and mayinclude an array of light detectors (e.g., photodiodes). Thelight-emitting array and the light detecting array may each extend oversome or all of the surface of fabric 12 (e.g., in the X-Y plane in theexample of FIG. 5). When a user's finger or other external object (see,e.g., finger 30) touches fabric 12, light that has been emitted by oneof the light-emitting devices will be detected by a nearby lightdetector, thereby allowing the location of the external object to bedetected (e.g., allowing the XY location of the external object onfabric 12 to be detected). If desired, fabric 12 and/or strain gauges incomponents 26 may be used in forming a force sensor under one or all ofthe surfaces of item 10 that are covered with fabric 12. Opticalproximity sensors based on light emitters and light detectors may alsooperate through fabric 12.

Capacitive proximity sensors may use electrodes formed from conductivestrands or may use electrodes formed from metal traces on a printedcircuit in components 26. Capacitive proximity sensors or opticalproximity sensors may be used to detect hand swipes and other usergestures.

Haptic devices in components 26 may be used to provide a user withtactile feedback. Haptic devices may be based on electromagneticactuators (e.g., vibrators, linear solenoids that move to produce aclicking sensation, piezoelectric actuators, and/or other hapticdevices). Haptic output may be used, for example, to confirm to a userthat a user has pressed a button (e.g., a virtual button) on the surfaceof fabric 12. A virtual button may be crated, for example, by usinglight sources in components 26 to emit light (e.g., a button trimpattern, a glyph such as an alphanumeric key label or other symbol,etc.) while monitoring for touch input in the region associated with theemitted light (e.g., in the area associated with the virtual button). Iftouch input in the virtual button area is detected, tactile feedback maybe provided using an overlapping haptic device so that a user isreassured that the virtual button press has been detected by circuitry16. In general, haptic output may be used to provide any suitabletactile output for a user (e.g., to provide a user with an alert, toserve as a vibrating feedback when item 10 is being used as a gamecontroller or pointing device, to provide button press feedback, etc.).

In some configurations, portions of fabric 12 such as illustrativeportion 12P of FIG. 6 may be configured to facilitate light transmissionand/or to help modify light 32 that has been emitted from components 26and/or that is being detected by components 26. In the example of FIG.6, fabric 12 overlaps component 26. Component 26 may, as an example, bea light-emitting device such as a light-emitting diode, an array oflight-emitting diodes or other structures forming a status indicatorlight or forming a pixelated display (e.g., a pixel array in the X-Yplane). In portions of fabric 12 other than portion 12P, fabric 12 maybe opaque to hide internal components in item 10 from view. In portionsof fabric 12 such as portion 12P, fabric 12 may be transparent (e.g.,hazy and therefore translucent or clear with a low haze) or mayotherwise be less opaque (more light transmissive and therefore moretransparent) than in the rest of fabric 12. Portions such as portion12P, which may sometimes be referred to as optical windows orlight-transmitting windows, may be formed by heat treating a localizedarea of fabric 12 (e.g., to melt strands 20 together to form portion12P), by selectively incorporating clear polymer binder or othermaterial into portion 12P, by forming portion 12P from a different typeof strand (e.g., clear strands) than the other portions of fabric 12,and/or by otherwise processing fabric 12 to form portion 12P. Ifdesired, portions such as portion 12P may be heat treated, chemicallytreated, impregnated with polymer or other materials, and/or otherwiseprocessed to form other type of features in fabric 12 (e.g., featureswith low surface roughness, features that have the pattern of a logo orother visible item), etc. In these configurations, portion 12P need notbe transparent.

In the example of FIG. 7, light 32 has been coupled into optical lightguide 34 (e.g., a strand such as a glass optical fiber, a strand such asa polymer optical fiber, a strand formed from other clear structures,etc.) from a light source (e.g., an electrical component 26 such as alight-emitting diode or other light-emitting component). Light guide 34may have light-scattering structures 38 such a recesses and/orprotrusions that scatter light from light guide (fiber) 34 outwardly aslight 32 (e.g., for a status indicator light, for an illuminated keysymbol, for a pixel in a pixel array, etc.). Control circuitry in item10 may adjust the amount of light that is emitted from component 26 toadjust the brightness of emitted light 32. Light guide 34 may beselectively incorporated into fabric 12 in desired locations (e.g., whenthe thickness of fabric 12 is thickness T1 as shown by line 36) or maybe embedded into fabric 12 (e.g., when fabric 12 has thickness T2). Ifdesired, optical light guide 34 may be a warp or weft strand in fabric12.

FIG. 8 shows how strands 20 may wrap around some or all of the faces ofan illustrative electronic device. In general, any suitable fraction ofthe total surface area of item 10 (e.g., the total surface area of thehousing of item 10) may be covered with fabric 12 formed from strands20. For example, the majority (>50%) of the surface may be covered withfabric to provide item 10 with a substantially fabric-covered appearanceand feel, at least 25% of the surface may be covered with fabric, atleast 50% of the surface may be covered with fabric, at least 75% of thesurface may be covered, 20-80% of the surface may be covered, 50-95% ofthe surface may be covered, at least 85% of the surface may be covered,at least 95% of the surface may be covered, less than 90% of the surfacemay be covered, less than 60% of the surface may be covered, and/orother suitable fractions of the surface of the housing of item 10 and/orthe total surface area of item 10 may be covered with one or more piecesof fabric 12.

As shown by the illustrative configuration of item 10 in FIG. 8, item 10may be an electronic device having six sides 39 each of which is partlyor fully covered by fabric 12 formed from strands 20. In general, anitem such as item 10 of FIG. 8 may have any suitable number of sides andany suitable number of these sides may be fully or partly covered withfabric 12 (e.g., at least one side, at least two sides, at least threesides, at least four sides, at least five sides, six sides, etc.).

In configurations such as these, touch sensors such as the touch sensorof FIG. 4 may be formed from conductive strands on one or more sides 39of item 10. For example, touch sensors formed from conductive strandsmay cover one to six surfaces (e.g., all six sides) of the electronicdevice. The touch sensors on an item such as item 10 may be used by thecontrol circuitry of item 10 to detect different grip patterns whenusers grip the surfaces of item 10. Grip detection information mayinclude information such as finger location, hand size, left/right handidentification information, and/or other information that allows usersor types of users to be distinguished (e.g., to distinguish betweenadults and small children). Left/right grip detection may also be usedto alter the location and/or appearance of virtual buttons on item 10and/or to customize other features.

In the illustrative configuration of FIG. 8, item 10 has a box-shaped(rectangular-prism-shaped) housing, but other housing shapes may be usedin forming a fabric-covered housing for item 10, if desired. Sensorsother than capacitive touch sensors formed from fabric 12 (e.g.,capacitive and/or optical touch and/or proximity sensors, force sensors,etc.) and/or haptic devices or other components 26 may also be locatedon one or all of the faces of the electronic device and may beoverlapped by fabric 12, as described in connection with FIGS. 6 and 7.

If desired, seams between mating panels of fabric 12 can be hidden fromview by a user by using an arrangement of the type shown in FIG. 8. Asshown in the illustrative cross-sectional side view of item 10 of FIG.9, item 10 may have internal components 40 (e.g., circuitry 16) onsubstrates such as substrate 42. Substrate 42 may be a printed circuitor other substrate and may be located in interior 44 of housing 46.Housing 46 may be formed from plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, and/orother materials (e.g., housing structures of the type described inconnection with structures 28 of FIG. 5). Fabric 12 may cover housing 46and may be attached to housing 46 using an optional layer of adhesivesuch as adhesive 48. Fabric 12, which may be considered to cover housing46 and/or form a portion of the housing for item 10 may have an upperportion such as portion 12T and a lower portion such as portion 12B. Theedges of fabric 12T and the edge of fabric 12B may be inserted intonotches 50 in housing 46. Notches 50 may run along the sides of housing46 parallel to the longitudinal axis of housing 46 and may help hide theseam that is formed between fabric 12A and fabric 12B along these sidesfrom view by a user. Notches 50 may be formed on vertical sidewallportions of item 10 (e.g., in a configuration in which item 10 normallylies flat in the X-Y plane as shown in FIG. 9), and/or may be formedelsewhere on item 10 in which fabric seams are located.

FIG. 10 is a view of the front face of an illustrative fabric-baseditem. As shown in FIG. 10, fabric 12 may have portions with differentvisual appearances. Illustrative fabric-based item 10 may be, forexample, a remote control or other electronic device that gathers userinput using touch sensors, buttons with switches, force sensors,proximity sensors, and/or other user input devices and that transmitsthe gathered information wirelessly to remote equipment (e.g., item 18of FIG. 1) to control the operation of item 18 (e.g., to change videochannels or other media playback changes, to navigate between audiotracks or other media tracks, to fast forward or rewind in a song orvideo, to adjust playback volume by adjusting the gain of output audioamplifiers coupled to speakers in item 18, etc.).

Fabric 12 of FIG. 10 covers item 10 on one or more sides (faces) of thehousing for item 10. In the example of FIG. 10, area 12-1 has a firstappearance and is free of touch sensor electrodes. Area 12-2 may containa touch sensor such as the touch sensor formed from fabric 12 in FIG. 4(or other input circuitry formed from components 26) and may have asecond appearance that is the same as the first appearance or that isdifferent than the first appearance (e.g., to visually distinguish area12-2). Strands 20 may have a coarse weave or other characteristics thatform a first texture in area 12-2 and a finer weave or othercharacteristics that form a second texture in other areas such as area12-1, 12-3, and/or 12-4 to provide a user with a distinct feel in eachof these regions. This may help a user identify different regions of thesurface of item 10 in dim lighting conditions.

Strands 20 in area 12-3 may be woven with a finer texture than strands20 in area 12-2, so that area 12-3 feels smoother than area 12-2 to thetouch and may have a distinct appearance. Area 12-3 may be free of touchsensors (as an example). Area 12-4 may be associated with a button. Thebutton may be a mechanical button that is used by pressing inwardly onarea 12-4 to deform fabric 12 in area 12-4 and thereby actuate a domeswitch or other button mechanism that is overlapped by area 12 or may bea capacitive sensor button (e.g., using a capacitive touch sensor formedfrom conductive strands in the fabric of area 12-4. Haptic devices incomponents 26 may overlap the input areas of item 10 such as area 12-4and other areas. If desired, letters or other symbols may be woven orotherwise formed in areas such as area 12-4 (see, e.g., area 12-5).

In addition to variations in weaving techniques, fabric coarsenessand/or other fabric construction differences, fabric treatments may beused in forming the different areas of item 10 shown in FIG. 10. Thesefabric treatments may include printing techniques or other coloringtechniques, heating techniques (e.g., to locally fuse strands 20together and thereby create denser and smoother areas of fabric 12 thatstand out from surrounding untreated areas), cutting techniques (e.g.,laser processing techniques such as laser fabric removal techniques tocreate ribs or other features), and/or other fabric treatment techniquessuch as locally embedding polymer or other material into fabric 12.

FIG. 11 shows how item 10 may include areas such as areas 12A1, 12A2,and 12A3 that contain symbols such as plus symbols 52 and minus symbols54. Symbols 52 and 54 may be formed by locally altering the constructionof fabric 12, by impregnating fabric 12 with patterned polymer (e.g.,polymer containing dye or pigments to form ink) or printing or otherwisepatterning other material in the shape of symbols 52 and 54 onto fabric12, by locally heating the portion of fabric 12 associated with symbols52 and 54, by using laser processing techniques to pattern the fabric inthese areas, etc. The characteristics of areas 12A1, 12A2, and 12A3 mayalso be modified to vary from other areas (e.g., areas 12A4) using theseprocessing techniques. Touch sensors and other components 26 (hapticcomponents, input devices such as button switches, proximity sensors,force sensors, etc.) may be located under areas 12A1, 12A2, and 12A3and/or other areas of item 10. If desired, touch sensors and othercomponents 26 may be omitted from some areas of item 10 (e.g., areas12A4). Configurations in which all fabric surfaces include touch sensorsand/or overlap components 26 may also be used, if desired.

In the illustrative configuration of FIG. 12, item 10 has a wedge shapein which the housing of item 10 tapers (narrows) progressively atincreasing distances from end 56 towards end 58. Surface 60 at end 56forms a curved (rounded) base for the housing of item 10. As shown inFIG. 12, surface 60 may have a curved shape such as a spherical surfaceshape or other shape with compound curvature. A weight (batteries, metalballast, etc.) may be placed in the housing of item 10 in a locationnear to end 56 such as location 62 to provide item 10 with aself-righting feature (e.g., the portion of the housing that forms therounded base for the housing may be weighted with a self-righting massformed from iron or other heavy metal that is configured to hold thehousing upright so that its longitudinal axis is aligned parallel to thesurface normal of the surface on which item 10 is resting andperpendicular to the surface). Surfaces such as surface 60 and the othersurfaces of item 10 may be covered with fabric 12. In regions such asregion 12′, the appearance and functionality of fabric 12 and theelectrical components overlapped by fabric 12 may vary (e.g., touchsensors and/or other components 26 may be located under symbols 52 and54 in region 12′ but not in other portion of fabric 12, etc.).

FIG. 13A illustrates how the incorporation of weight in region 62 mayhelp provide item 10 with an asymmetrical weight distribution thatallows item 10 to right itself. As shown in FIG. 13A, item 10 may reston a surface such as surface 66 (e.g., a table top). The housing of item10 may be characterized by a longitudinal axis such as axis 64. When offbalance, item 10 will tip on surface 66 so that the longitudinal axis ofitem 10 is not parallel to surface normal n of surface 66 (see, e.g.,off-axis item 10′ and tilted longitudinal axis 64′). In this situation,the location of weight 62 at end 56 and the curved shape of lowersurface 60 of item 10 cooperate to force item 10 upwards in direction 68(e.g., to the vertical position shown by item 10 and axis 64, where axis64 is parallel to surface normal n and is therefore perpendicular tosurface 66).

If desired, the weight in region 62 may be located at a position thatself-rights item 10 in a horizontal orientation (e.g., with longitudinalaxis 64 parallel to surface 66). This type of arrangement is shown inFIG. 13B. As shown in FIG. 13B, a weight may be located in a locationsuch as region 62 that is adjacent to rear surface 69 of item 10 (e.g.,relatively far from front surface 71). This provides item 10 with anasymmetrical weight distribution that allows item 10 to right itself sothat buttons and other input-output devices in regions such as region12′ face upwardly for viewing and use by a user of item 10. As shown inFIG. 13B, item 10 may rest on a surface such as surface 66 (e.g., atable top). When originally placed on surface 66, buttons and otherinput-output components such as component 65 may be facing downwardtowards surface 66 (e.g., component 65 may be in location 65′). Due tothe presence of weight in region 62, item 10 may rotate in direction 67to its normal face-up configuration. In this configuration, component 65and other components (e.g., input devices associated with symbols 52 and54 of FIG. 12 in region 12′, etc.) may be viewed by a user and pressedwhen it is desired to supply user input to item 10. In general, anysuitable asymmetric weighting scheme may be used with item 10. Theconfigurations of FIGS. 13A and 13B are merely illustrative.

FIG. 14 is a diagram of item 10 in an illustrative configuration inwhich circuitry 16 can actively control the tilt of item 10 based onsensor input or other input. As shown in FIG. 14, item 10 may include anelectrically adjustable weight such as electrically adjustable weightsystem 70 (sometime referred to as an electrically adjustable moveablemass system). System 70 may include an electrically adjustablepositioner and movable mass (see, e.g., movable mass and positioner 72,which may move on a track or other support such as support 74). Duringoperation, the movable mass may be positioned by the electricallyadjustable positioner (e.g., an electromagnetic actuator) in one or moredimensions (e.g., in the X-Y plane of FIG. 14). The positioner iselectrically controllable by control circuitry in item 10, so the massmay be moved, for example in directions such as direction 76 anddirection 78. Item 10 may have a sensor such as proximity sensor 26P(e.g., an optical proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor,etc.). When a user's hand or other external object 30 is detected in thevicinity of item 10, the control circuitry of item 10 may move the massof system 70 in direction 76, thereby causing item 10 to tilt towardsthe user's hand in direction 80 (e.g., so that longitudinal axis 64 tipstowards the user's hand away from surface normal n of surface 66). Thisbehavior may be used, for example, to facilitate user gripping of item10 in dim lighting conditions.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an illustrative cylindrically shapedfabric-based item. Illustrative item 10 of FIG. 15 may have a weightthat allows item 10 to right itself (e.g., by restoring its desiredorientation by movement in directions 82 or 84, as appropriate) and/ormay have an electrically adjustable movable mass mechanism such asadjustable weight system 70 of FIG. 14. Item 10 may have areas withtouch sensors and/or other components 26, areas with symbols or otherpatterns, and/or other features that allow item 10 to serve as a remotecontrol (see, e.g., illustrative symbol 86 in area 88).

As shown in FIG. 16, item 10 may have deformable portions. Some or allof the surface of the housing of item 10 may be covered with fabric 12.Fabric 12 may include conductive strands that serve as touch sensorelectrodes and/or may overlap force sensors, touch sensors, proximitysensors, mechanical switches, or other components (see, e.g., the touchsensor of FIG. 4 and components 26 of FIG. 5). This sensor circuitrymay, for example, be located on the sides of item 10 of FIG. 16. A layerof foam (see, e.g., layer 28 of FIG. 5) may be formed under the sensorcircuitry to detect deformation of the sides of item 10 when pressedinwardly by a user (e.g., when a user squeezes item 10). In the exampleof FIG. 16, item 10 initially has an undeformed shape given by unbenthousing wall surfaces 92. When a user grips and squeezes item 10inwardly in directions 90, the walls of item 10 (e.g., the foam or othercompressible material under fabric 12 and/or fabric 12) compressinwardly, so that straight housing wall surfaces become deformed asshown by deformed housing wall surfaces 92′. Control circuitry in item10 can take suitable action in response to detection of deformation offabric 12 and the associated surfaces of item 10. For example, awireless command may be issued (e.g., to increase or decrease volume ofremote equipment 18, to change a media playback track, to adjusthousehold equipment such as heating or lighting, etc.).

If desired, support structures such as illustrative structures 28 ofFIG. 5 may be provided with a texture that can be felt by the fingers ofa user through fabric 12 when gripping item 10. This type of arrangementis shown in the cross-sectional side view of illustrative item 10 ofFIG. 17. In the example of FIG. 17, item 10 has a housing formed fromsupport structures 94 covered with fabric 12. Fabric 12 may besufficiently thin to allow underlying features to locally change thetexture and feel of fabric 12. Structures 94 may be formed from moldedplastic, metal, and/or other materials. Surface features such asprotrusions (ribs, bumps, etc.), recesses (grooves, pits, etc.), orother textured features such as textured structures 96 may provide item10 with a textured surface when item 10 is handled by a user.

The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can bemade to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may beimplemented individually or in any combination.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fabric-based item, comprising: a housing; a fabric layer covering a majority of the housing; a touch sensor electrode that is overlapped by the fabric layer; wireless communications circuitry; and control circuitry configured to transmit wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry.
 2. The fabric-based item defined in claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to transmit the wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry in response to information from the touch sensor electrode.
 3. The fabric-based item defined in claim 1, wherein the touch sensor electrode is on a first side of the housing and wherein the fabric layer overlaps the first side of the housing.
 4. The fabric-based item defined in claim 3, wherein the fabric layer has first and second areas of different appearances on the first side of the housing.
 5. The fabric-based item defined in claim 4, wherein the first area of the fabric layer overlaps the touch sensor electrode and wherein the second area of the fabric layer does not overlap any touch sensor electrodes.
 6. The fabric-based item defined in claim 1, wherein the touch sensor electrode is configured to gather user input.
 7. A fabric-based item, comprising: a housing; a fabric layer covering a majority of the housing; a haptic device that is overlapped by the fabric layer; wireless communications circuitry; and control circuitry configured to transmit wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry.
 8. The fabric-based item defined in claim 7, further comprising: input circuitry that is overlapped by the fabric layer, wherein the control circuitry is configured to transmit the wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry in response to information from the input circuitry.
 9. The fabric-based item defined in claim 8, wherein the input circuitry is configured to gather user input and comprises an electrical component selected from the group consisting of: a switch, a touch sensor, a force sensor, and a proximity sensor.
 10. The fabric-based item defined in claim 9, wherein the input circuitry is configured to gather the user input from a user and wherein the haptic device is configured to provide the user with tactile feedback.
 11. The fabric-based item defined in claim 10, wherein the input circuitry is configured to detect a press of a virtual button by the user and wherein the haptic device is configured to provide the user with the tactile feedback in response to the input circuitry detecting the press of the virtual button.
 12. The fabric-based item defined in claim 7, wherein the haptic device comprises an actuator.
 13. The fabric-based item defined in claim 7, wherein the haptic device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of: a vibrator, a linear solenoid, and a piezoelectric actuator.
 14. The fabric-based item defined in claim 7, wherein the fabric layer includes first and second areas having different appearances and wherein the haptic device is covered by the first area of the fabric layer.
 15. A fabric-based item, comprising: a housing; a fabric layer covering a majority of the housing; a light sensor that is overlapped by the fabric layer; wireless communications circuitry; and control circuitry configured to transmit wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry.
 16. The fabric-based item defined in claim 15, wherein the control circuitry is configured to transmit the wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry in response to information from the light sensor.
 17. The fabric-based item defined in claim 15, wherein the light sensor is on a first side of the housing and wherein the fabric layer overlaps the first side of the housing.
 18. The fabric-based item defined in claim 17, wherein the fabric layer has first and second areas of different appearances on the first side of the housing and wherein the light sensor is overlapped by the first area of the fabric layer.
 19. The fabric-based item defined in claim 18, further comprising: a light-emitting component that emits light through the first area of the fabric layer, wherein the light sensor and the light-emitting component form a proximity sensor.
 20. The fabric-based item defined in claim 15, further comprising: a light-emitting component that emits light through the fabric layer, wherein the light sensor and the light-emitting component form a proximity sensor. 